Stars from 2017-18 Runaway Bay sides re-join Seagulls for Rugby League Gold Coast A grade season
Runaway Bay are going back to the future in their quest for Rugby League Gold Coast supremacy, with a host of stars from their 2017 and 2018 grand final sides returning to Morala Avenue this year. A former NRL star could also be headed to the club.
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RUNAWAY Bay are going back to the future in their quest for Rugby League Gold Coast supremacy, with a host of stars from their 2017 and 2018 grand final sides returning to Morala Avenue this year.
Plagued by injuries and inconsistency throughout a 2019 season that came to an end in the first week of the finals, Bay have been boosted by the re-inclusion of 2018 A grade premiership players Falani Arkell (five-eighth), Siuatonga Likiliki (front row) and Andrew Vela (second row).
Prop Jordan McLaughlin, who was part of the Seagulls outfit that reached the 2017 grand final, has also returned to offset the loss of forward Daymeric Pelo to Mudgeeraba.
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The Bulletin understands former Canberra, Newcastle and Brisbane NRL hooker Travis Waddell has also reached out to the club after spending last season with the Wellington Cowboys in the NSW Group 11 country competition.
After ushering in a number of emerging stars last year, Seagulls coach Nick Gleeson said his new recruits would provide valuable leadership in the looming campaign.
“We’ve signed really well,” Gleeson, now preparing for his third season as A grade coach, said.
“We didn’t hunt anyone as such. A big thing for me this year was ‘if you’re after money you can go wherever you want’.
“Those experienced players have waltzed back on our doorstep so their experience is going to be handy. We lost a grand final in 2017 and a fair few of those boys didn’t come back in 2018 and same again after winning in 2018.
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“We didn’t have the depth (last year) so we had to rely on a lot of young kids. It was just one of those years, we couldn’t put the same team on the paddock.
“I used seven halfbacks. We had a lot of 18-year-olds and they weren’t just filling jumpers, they can do a job.
“But this year it was pretty important (to build some depth). We’re in a good position at the moment and a lot of the reserve graders are training and showing commitment, which is something we didn’t have last year.”
With preparations underway for trial games against Murwillumbah, Byron Bay and possibly Ballina, Gleeson said the potential recruitment of Waddell would be the icing on the cake.
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“Travis Waddell called me about a month ago and he’s pretty keen to come. He’s going to make a decision in the next couple of weeks,” Gleeson said.
“This time of year you’ll get a lot of calls from guys who want to come but one thing I’m big on is that I like to keep things in-house, I don’t go chasing players from other clubs.”
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